Washington Nationals vs Atlanta Braves Box Score on Aug 18, 2020

Washington's Juan Soto continued his torrid pace with two more hits and a key RBI to help the visiting Nationals defeat the Atlanta Braves 8-5 on Tuesday.

Soto was 2-for-4 with a walk, and he scored a run after driving one in as the Nationals took the lead with a four-run rally in the fifth inning. Over the last nine games, Soto is batting .441 (15-for-34) with a double, six homers, 14 RBI and 14 runs scored. He upped his average to .417.

Soto was one of seven Nationals with multiple hits, including rookie Luis Garcia with three.

The winning pitcher was Wander Suero, the second of seven Washington relievers. Suero struck out two and allowed one hit in his scoreless fifth inning.

Daniel Hudson, victimized by the Braves for two ninth-inning homers in Monday's loss, worked a perfect ninth and struck out two to earn his fifth save.

Tyler Matzek (2-2) was the losing pitcher. The Braves' second pitcher of the night allowed four runs on six hits in one-third of an inning.

The Braves got what they hoped for out of reliever-turned-starter Josh Tomlin. He went four innings in his first start of the season and allowed two runs on six hits, with one walk and two strikeouts.

Washington starter Austin Voth pitched four innings and allowed five runs on nine hits, with three walks and three strikeouts.

The Braves jumped in front with a run in the first inning on Travis d'Arnaud's double.

The Nationals tied the game with a run in the second on Eric Thames' RBI single, and edged ahead 2-1 in the third inning on Asdrubal Cabrera's run-scoring hit.

Atlanta took a 3-2 lead in the third on Austin Riley's two-run single, then went ahead 5-2 when Freddie Freeman hit a two-run homer, his fourth, in the fourth inning.

Washington pushed across four runs against Matzek in the fifth inning to take a 6-5 lead.

Adam Eaton, Soto and Yan Gomes each delivered RBI singles. The go-ahead run came on a fielder's choice when Thames struck a sharp liner that handcuffed first baseman Freeman and allowed Cabrera to score.

--Field Level Media